Bridgeport needs a cheerleader. That’s what I hear from downtown property owners, merchants, workers etc.
The other day the University of Bridgeport hosted a forum featuring Larry Goldman, chief executive of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center that helped revitalize downtown Newark.
His message: the arts can change perception and transform an image.
Said UB President Neil Salonen:
“The arts are important to us…they’re important to the community. The arts are good for the soul and good for the community in a practical way.”
Amen.
Let’s look downtown and environs: City Lights Gallery, Housatonic art gallery, ballpark, arena, Barnum Museum, Downtown Cabaret, Playhouse on the Green, an emerging restaurant district on Fairfield Avenue, Sweetport Festival, a variety of events at Baldwin Plaza (not just Ann Coulter).
A cheerleader has a lot to work with. So, who’ll step up? It could be the mayor. Cheerleading is not just about we’re great and waving pom poms. It’s about organizing a marketing plan and putting folks in place that can carry it through.
Enthusiasm is one of Bill Finch’s assets. If he can find some breathing room outside the of the grind of running the state’s largest city to focus on marketing city assets the cheerleading becomes contagious. His can pass the baton to his Economic Development Director Don Eversley. “Jesus, Grimaldi, leave me alone. I have enough to do.”
Okay, wouldn’t it be nice if People’s United Bank CEO Philip Sheringham stepped up to help? You talk to anyone about the head of the largest bank based in Connecticut and they’ll tell you Philip doesn’t want to play. He’s from the left coast, no local roots, doesn’t care about Bridgeport. He drives into Bridgeport to work in his Taj Mahal office and drives out of the city when the day is done. Whatever he does to support Bridgeport is tokenism.
Shearingham ordering his marketing department to free up a few hundred grand to support a city marketing campaign is chump change for a bank with billions in assets. Or maybe Shearingham and Finch get together for a you kick in, I’ll kick in exchange? And maybe a few others from the business community play as well.
It’s been proven over and over, market your destination points, promote the arts and people and investors will follow. Gee, what a novel idea.
(Check out my daily blog at www.onlyinbridgeport.com)
What’s GOOD for Bridgeport is good for everyone who reads this blog.
Bridgeport’s next cheerleader needs to bring some digital assets to the table. Here’s my sis-boom-bah: bridgeportctusa.com and localeyes.biz
Dear Lennie Grimaldi,
I always wonder why they always call in the out-of-town consultants to pontificate on our problems. Like they really care – NOT! It’s strickly a business to them and not done with a passion.
If Mayor Finch wants a cheerleader for Bridgeport? How’s about me a long-time area resident.
Bill, can you suck it in and swallow your pride even though I am a thorn in your side. Pick me and you will be very surprised.
Do I care about Bridgeport? Damn right I do. Go check the following web sites: One for Pleasure Beach and another for Sikorsky Memorial Airport stuck in a legal quagmire.
http://www.savepleasurebeach.com/ http://www.sikorskymemorialairport.com/
God bless and thank you.
Tim Gordon English
Proudly Bridgeport
Lennie, you know I have been saying this for years.
We need a cheerleader to lead all the people who want Finch removed from office. He is one of the worst things to happen to this city. How about cheering the investigation of all the people behind the Harbor Point fiasco. How many millions of taxes has the city lost since the city siezed all that property that is now barren of anything. But then again didn’t you go to jail Lenny? I is no wonder you are singing Finch’s praises.
You can have all the cheerleaders in the world, but if you don’t have a winning team it means nothing. Let’s Win One for the Stripper!
Ok Lets start with a tax break for the poor Home Owners to cheer about. Then give me my $600 rebate check this Mayor promised.
Then remove all the dead beats from City Hall. Then give Fire and Police Dept. more money so they can live and support thire familys.
Open Pleasure Beach Bridge as a walking bridge for the nice people on the eastside so they can fish and swim.
Have a Meet the Mayor on weeks ends so the people can tell him what shit-head he is. Get the back Taxes from DiNardo and the people will cheer even-more.
Tell The mayor Stop taking checks from his Buddy Sal DiNardo.
Kick Out Testa and all the other out of towners who running this City.
Where’s Doo Wop Timpanelli on all this? Oh yes, he’s trying out for the upcoming version of “Grease” to be filmed in his rec room in Trumbull.
Yes, Speedy, I must confess that I bank with People’s United. How’s Bank of America doing?
Lennie, don’t be shocked when you check your savings balance and find out your account has been emptied.